With the festive season fast approaching, savvy shoppers across the UK are finalising their Christmas lists and planning their crucial grocery runs. The period between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day is notorious for hectic aisles and altered trading times, making advance knowledge of supermarket schedules essential for a stress-free celebration.
Plan Ahead to Avoid Festive Frustration
While many households opt for the convenience of pre-ordering Christmas groceries for delivery, last-minute dashes for forgotten essentials like milk, potatoes or extra gravy are a festive tradition for even the most organised among us. To prevent a wasted trip to shuttered doors, we have compiled the confirmed opening hours for all major UK supermarkets from Christmas Eve, Wednesday 24 December 2025, through to New Year's Day, Thursday 1 January 2026.
It is vital to remember that opening hours can vary by location and store size, particularly between large supermarkets and smaller local or Express branches. Always double-check with your specific store using the retailer's online store finder for absolute certainty.
Supermarket Opening Hours: Your Day-by-Day Guide
Below is the essential schedule for the festive period. All supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day unless otherwise stated.
Tesco
- Christmas Eve: 6am to 7pm (Express stores 7am to 10pm)
- Christmas Day: Closed
- Boxing Day: 9am to 6pm (Express stores 9am to 7pm)
- New Year's Eve: 6am to 7pm (Express stores 7am to 10pm)
- New Year's Day: 9am to 6pm (Express stores 8am to 10pm)
Sainsbury's
- Christmas Eve: 6am to 7pm (convenience stores 6am to 9pm)
- Christmas Day: Closed
- Boxing Day: 9am to 6pm (convenience stores 9am to 9pm)
- New Year's Eve: 10am to 7pm (convenience stores 6am to 9pm)
- New Year's Day: 8am to 8pm (convenience stores 9am to 9pm)
Aldi
- Christmas Eve: 7am to 6pm
- Christmas Day: Closed
- Boxing Day: Closed
- New Year's Eve: 8am to 6pm
- New Year's Day: Closed
Lidl
- Christmas Eve: 7am to 6pm
- Christmas Day: Closed
- Boxing Day: Closed
- New Year's Eve: 8am to 6pm
- New Year's Day: Closed
Asda
- Christmas Eve: 5am to 7pm
- Christmas Day: Closed
- Boxing Day: 9am to 6pm
- New Year's Eve: 7am to 7pm
- New Year's Day: 9am to 6pm
Co-op
- Christmas Eve: Usual opening time to 7pm (convenience stores 6am or 7am to 8pm)
- Christmas Day: Closed
- Boxing Day: 10am to 7pm (convenience stores 9am to 7pm)
- New Year's Eve: Usual opening time to 7pm (convenience stores 6am or 7am to 8pm)
- New Year's Day: 10am to 7pm (convenience stores 9am to 8pm)
Waitrose
- Christmas Eve: Open
- Christmas Day: Closed (except Welcome Break Service stations and Shell forecourts)
- Boxing Day: Closed
- New Year's Eve: Open
- New Year's Day: Closed
Marks and Spencer
- Christmas Eve: 6am to 7pm
- Christmas Day: Closed
- Boxing Day: Closed
- New Year's Eve: 8am to 7pm
- New Year's Day: Closed
Morrisons
- Christmas Eve: Opening hours vary but the vast majority will be open between 6am-6pm
- Christmas Day: Closed
- Boxing Day: 9am to 6pm
- New Year's Eve: 7am to 7pm
- New Year's Day: 9am to 6pm
Top Tips for a Smooth Festive Shop
To navigate the festive rush successfully, consider visiting stores during typically quieter periods such as early morning or later in the evening. For those looking to minimise in-store time altogether, many supermarkets still offer click-and-collect slots for Christmas Eve. Furthermore, comprehensive guides are available to help you choose the best festive fare, from turkeys and mince pies to mulled wine, all based on rigorous blind taste tests, alongside revelations on where to find the most affordable Christmas dinner ingredients.
Armed with this schedule and a little planning, you can ensure your focus remains on festive cheer rather than a frantic search for an open supermarket.
